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Throughout history, the heirs of President Garfield shared stories about his impressive career but rarely mentioned his tragic assassination. We understood what had happened, that he was assassinated in a railway depot,” explains one of his family members. “We read about the story in publications but, somehow, we just passed over it quickly.”

Revived Interest in a Historical Figure

This changed in 2011 with the release of Destiny of the Republic, which revived interest in Garfield's unfinished life. This work has now inspired a Netflix drama titled the historical drama, starring Michael Shannon as the president and another skilled actor as the drifter who assassinated him.

The series seeks to shine a light on Garfield, who emerged from difficult circumstances to the White House during the economic era only to succumb to its toxic political divisions. His presidency was truncated after only several months not only by the gunman's shot but by physician mistakes – an event now frequently ignored while the assassinations of President Lincoln and JFK continue to fascinate the public.

“It's impossible not to respect what he did. He was like a multi-threat: he was a attorney, he was a religious leader, he was a farmer. He was so many things which also formed his character and his behavior and everything that we know about him the family carries down with us.”

Rising from Poverty to the Highest Office

Garfield was the most recent commander-in-chief coming from pioneer roots in Cuyahoga County in 1831. His father died when he was 18 months old, leaving his mom, Eliza, to support a large family in difficult circumstances. An dedicated student, Garfield worked on canal boats to earn money for an schooling.

He studied law, was ordained as minister, became leader of an institution in Ohio and was a government official. In 1858 he married a former classmate, his partner, with whom he would have seven children. An ardent Unionist, Garfield viewed the civil war as a holy crusade against human bondage and progressed to the rank of major general.

“When I started researching him, I was astonished. He was absolutely brilliant. He was fearless. He was innovative for the period. He was compassionate. He was a good person and would have been one of our great presidents had he lived.”

Government Service and Unexpected Nomination

Garfield was encouraged by President Lincoln to depart military life when he was chosen to the House of Representatives, where he would function as a party member for 17 years. He was dedicated proponent of African American voting rights, viewing it as a matter of justice and the fulfillment of a military promise.

“His oration on the legislative arena will move you deeply. He was an remarkable speaker and this issue was deeply meaningful to him.”

At the party gathering in Chicago the faction was sharply split between the “political group”, led by an influential figure, who supported a continued leadership for Ulysses S Grant, and the “opposing faction”, who supported political contender. Garfield attended as a advocate of his state colleague John Sherman.

When the massive gathering was stalled between Grant and Blaine, representatives began searching for a middle ground. Garfield's emotional address nominating Sherman caught their attention. During the speech, he reportedly shouted, “And now, delegates, what do we want?” to which a attendee unexpectedly replied, “We want Garfield!”

On the multiple voting round, a rush of supporters made Garfield the unexpected candidate. To satisfy the Stalwart faction, Chester Arthur, a Conkling loyalist from New York, was chosen as his running mate. In the general election Garfield beat the Democratic nominee to become the only sitting member of the House ever to be elected president.

Short Presidency and Political Battles

“Garfield's potential greatness and what is extremely rare and maybe particular about the American presidency is he wasn't seeking the position. It's not that he had completely dismissed it but he was pushed toward it.”

The central struggle of Garfield's brief term was his disagreement with Conkling over the “spoils system”. Conkling required power over government appointments in New York, particularly the influential position of Collector of the Port of New York. Garfield declined, stating the issue was “whether the president is registering clerk of the senate or the nation's leader”. He selected a opponent of Conkling to the post.

The conflict escalated into a open fight but Garfield outmaneuvered Conkling in the Senate. Experiencing a humiliating public defeat, Conkling and his junior senator resigned their seats in protest. The next day, Garfield's selection was ratified. It was a landmark victory for the executive authority over the faction system and for the improvement efforts over “boss rule”.

The Killer and His Mental Illness

But even as Garfield fought powerful figures of his party, he was being pursued by a disturbed and delusional man who embodied the negative aspect of the spoils network. The gunman was a drifter with a record of professional failures, emotional issues and physical and psychological abuse. He had not succeeded as a attorney, bill collector, religious figure and member of a alternative community.

“He was mentally ill and his specific type of insanity was fantasy. He always believed that God had chosen him for greatness. He actually had financially a better start than Garfield but where Garfield progressed and improved, Guiteau was unsuccessful in all endeavors.”

But Guiteau believed he had finally found a route to achievement: politics. Carried away in the events of the 1880 election, he created and presented an insignificant speech, and became convinced in his own mind that he was single-handedly responsible for Garfield's victory.

Under this logic, Guiteau calculated he had merited a prestigious position. He went to the capital and continuously bothered Garfield, Blaine and other officials, requiring to be made the diplomatic representative — a role for which he had zero qualifications. He became such a nuisance that he was eventually excluded from the White House.

The Attack and Doctor Errors

On 2 July 1881, just four months into his presidency, Garfield was departing the capital for his college reunion. As he walked through the transportation center, Guiteau appeared suddenly, pulled an handgun from his coat pocket and shot the president twice in the back.

Garfield exclaimed: “What's happening?” and fell on the depot ground. When a {police officer|law